Legacy Business Program supports generational businesses in San Marcos

About the program

Ryan Patrick Perkins was chair of the Historic Preservation Committee when the program was developed. He and Linda Coker were co-chairs of a combo subcommittee that worked on the program layout and eligibility, Communications and IGR Manager Nadine Bonewitz told Community Impact.

The Legacy Business Program initially launched in June 2024, but the idea for it hatched in 2016 after attending the International Cultural Heritage Symposium. It was inspired by successful initiatives in San Antonio and San Francisco, Preservation Texas Executive Director Evan Thompson said.

To qualify for the program businesses must be:

• Owned and operated by successive generations of the same family
• Located in a designated historic district, local landmark or;
• Located in a property that is eligible and willing to register the property as a landmark

The foundation of the business must also have a cultural significance in how its products are made that is unique to San Marcos, Christian Smith, economic & business development manager told Community Impact.

The city highlighted the program’s first cohort of businesses to participate in the program with a proclamation on Dec. 18. The businesses highlighted are as follows:

Each cohort of businesses that join the program will be recognized each fall, Downtown Coordinator Josie Falletta said.

Why it matters

Falletta said the goal of the program is to recognize and highlight legacy businesses in San Marcos.

“We do a really good job of recognizing new incoming businesses and having touch points with them. We have not, to date, had a process for recognizing and celebrating those businesses that have lasted over time,” Falletta told Community Impact.

Smith said the program is also good for residents and visitors who want to spend their dollars at businesses with historic and cultural significance in San Marcos. He also said the program can encourage new businesses to plant roots in San Marcos.

“Knowing that there’s programming and systems in place to celebrate and nurture businesses that have been here, I think kind of defines a lane for them knowing that hey we can plant roots here and we know that there’s a community that’s [going to] be supportive of us as we’re growing here,” Smith added.

What’s special about it?

Falletta said businesses in the program receive a marketing kit from the city that includes different social media recommendations the business can use.

“It’s an extra tool in their toolkit to be able to draw traction to their business. We’ve also structured the program in a way that there’s different colors for how many years the business has been in operation,” she said.

What business owners are saying

Pablo Nieto, the son of Rogelio’s Restaurant owner, said it feels great to have support from the city, customers and visitors and encouraged other business owners who are eligible for the program to fill out an application.

“It’s only going to make us feel more like a family every day,” Alex Nieto, Pablo’s wife added.